Two Bite Saloon. “I wanted to offer something where people could taste a bit of everything,” Fortin says. The solution? A saloon devoted to sliders. With Charlie An and John Kim rounding out the team of owners, Bloorcourt’s latest bar has only been open since the weekend, but it has already gotten off to a rollicking start. ">

First Look: Two Bite Saloon, a new west-end slider house

By Karolyne Ellacott

Published: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, 02:11 PM

While driving home from work one night, Daniel Fortin was struck with the idea for his Two Bite Saloon. “I wanted to offer something where people could taste a bit of everything,” Fortin says. The solution? A saloon devoted to sliders. With Charlie An and John Kim rounding out the team of owners, Bloorcourt’s latest bar has only been open since the weekend, but it has already gotten off to a rollicking start.

Holding down the kitchen is chef Nathan Jones (The Saint, Ultra Supper Club), who impressed the crew with his meat-handling abilities. Five different sliders are on offer, including brisket, pulled pork, catfish, tofu and a mini-hamburger (three for $10).

“These sliders bring out Daniel’s French side,” jokes Jones, referring to the French technique he often uses; the brisket, for example, is slow braised, then tossed with caramelized onions and red wine sauce.

The pulled pork is dry rubbed, then smoked for 18 hours, while the catfish is encrusted with panko and topped with the house tartar sauce.

Other options include the side ribs ($17 with a side of fries and kale salad), which are smoked for over three hours, then chicken-fried and dredged in the house barbecue sauce, which is flavoured with Mill St. Cobblestone Stout.

Flexitarians be warned: more innocent-seeming fare like baked beans ($6) and kale salad ($6) is still meat-heavy, although the GMO-free meat is procured locally, helping concerned parties sleep easier at night.

In terms of tipples, Mill St. Organic, Amsterdam 416 and Spearhead Moroccan Brown Ale are all on tap ($7-$8), while the cocktail list includes picks like the Old Fashioned ($9) and the Don Jimador, starring el Jimador tequila, white cranberry juice and a dash of lime ($9).

For those who may need a bit of dental assistance following all that meat, just ask; they’ve got a floss pick or two behind the bar. And the bathroom floors — studded with pennies — are definitely worthy of a peek.